Chaffey Joint Union school district begins solar energy project

The awning structure for the solar panels, at the parking lot of Alta Loma High School in Rancho Cucamonga Thursday. Alta Loma High School is going solar. The Chaffey Joint Union High School is in the process of installing solar panel awning in the parking lot.
Photo by James Carbone

Workers prepare for the installation of solar panels at the parking lot of Alta Loma High School in Rancho Cucamonga Thursday.
Photo by James Carbone

RANCHO CUCAMONGA >> Those large pillars going up in the east and west parking lots at Alta Loma High School are part of Chaffey Joint Union High School District-wide solar energy project.

Since the end of June, construction crews have been working to install parking awnings that will be covered with solar panels at all eight high schools, said Don Bertucci, assistant superintendent of business services.

With the school year set to begin Wednesday, Bertucci said a portion of the lots will be closed during the construction and work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

In February, the district’s board of trustees voted unanimously to award Huntington Beach-based PsomasFMG, LLC a contract to design, finance, build and operate a 7.2 megawatt solar system across the eight school sites.

The agreement means the district will not pay for the construction costs. Officials say the solar project will provide less than 50 percent of the total electricity consumed by the high schools but is expected to save the district millions of dollars over the length of the agreement.